Jobs sought for landlosers in Kolar rail coach factory

Foundation stone laid for Rs 1,460-crore project

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanded on Wednesday that local residents who would give up their lands for the construction of the rail coach factory here, should get preference in jobs at the factory. 

The factory is expected to begin functioning in the next four years. The project had been announced a few years ago in the Railway budget, but had failed to take off due to land acquisition issues.

The chief minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the factory on the Mulbagal-Gouribidanur road. The State government is giving 1,118 acres of land free of cost for setting up the factory. The local residents would have to give the rest of the land required for the project and they should get priority in the recruitments, Siddaramaiah said. 

Union minister K H Muniyappa and MLA K R Ramesh Kumar should ensure this, he said. The State government is contributing Rs 730 crore for the factory, which is coming up at a cost of Rs 1,460 crore. 

Siddaramaiah said that the Centre had given in-principle approval for setting up a National Investment and Manufacturing Zone in Mulbagal taluk, for which 12,000 acres of land is required. The project is expected to generate thousands of jobs.

The chief minister said that the proposed Bangalore-Chennai highspeed corridor will pass through Malur, Bangarpet and KGF in the district. This will trigger economic development. He said a textile park had been planned on 100 acres at Shidlaghatta in Chikkaballapur district. A food processing park (50 acres) has been planned in Chintamani.  

Railway minister Mallikarjuna Kharge, who was to launch the work on the factory, could not make it for the programme.  Muniyappa, Ramesh Kumar, ministers Roshan Baig, Krishna Byregowda and U T Khader were present. 
Race against time

It was a race against time for everyone at the programme, which was scheduled at 9 am, to beat the model code of conduct. Siddaramaiah made his speech in a hurry after laying the foundation stone and left the venue.

The coach factory, said to be fifth in the country will manufacture 500 bogies a year. The State and Central governments will share the cost of the project equally. The 1,460-crore project is expected to be operational in four years and generate employment for 5,000 people.